The Washington critic., 1887-01-19
MEN AND THINGS ABOUT TOWN.

Senator Joe Blackburn of Kentucky was,
as is well known, dashiug Southern leader
in the late war. At social gathering
few evenings ago the Senator paid glowing
tribute to the exalted character Of Abraham
Lincoln. He said he considered Mr.. Lin
coin the fairest man that ever presided over
a nation, and that his taking of by the
hand Of an assassin was the most cruel blow
the South received from the war. Then the
Senator related the incident Of his first
meeting Mr.. Lincoln, which, in substance,
was as follows: "Whcn / was 10 years OF
age located in Chicago and commenced
the practice Of law. One of my first cases
was in the United States Court, which was
presided over by Justice Mclean of the
United States Supreme Court, and Judge
Drummond of the Illinois Circuit. The
opposing counsel was Isaac N. Arnold, then
at the head OF the Chicago bar, who was
subsequently prominent member OF Con
gress and the author of the first biography
of Mr. Lincoln. had filed demurrer to
Mr.. Arnold's pleadings In the cause
and when the case was reached on the
calendar / was quite nervous at having
such formidable and experienced an-
luSbhic'' Nhlc thp VI tuc tlipuuAl
and the presence Ol a large number of law
yers In the court all aided to increase my
timillty and embarrassment. ] was Young
inexperienced and naturally felt dlllldent
and nervous; In fact, | was willing that any
disposition should be made OF the case so /
could be lid Of II. | was ready to adopt
any suggestion of the opposing counsel
which would relieve me OF the einbarrass-
lug situation. ! wanted to get away from
thT prlgnl ftnSzihlp MIR Arnold
made an argument In which he criticised
my demurrer in manner that greatly tend
ed to increase my confusion. How
ever, ] Lad to make an effort.
said but little, and that In very bewll-
dcred manner, aLd was about ready to sit
down and let the case go 10y default, as 1t
were, when tall honely, lOose.toiuted
man, sitting In the bar, whom bad noticed
us giving close attention to the case, arose
and addressed TIE court IN behalf of the
| position ! bad assumed in my feeble argu-
ment, making the points so clear that when
be closed the court at once sustained my de-
murfer. didn't yet know who ms voluu-
teer friend was, but Mr.. Arnold got up and
attempted to Iebuke hin FOR interfering in
the matter, when |, for the frat time, heard
he was "Abe Lncolun of Springfield Mr.,
, Lincoln. IN his gool-nqtnrel rep'y to Mr.,
| Anold's slrictuits on Lis Interference, said
'hab hC ciullIei tuI lINHcgc VI ElNih- u
! young lawyer boost when struggling with
his first case especially II he was pitted
against an experienced practitioner. OF
course | thanked him and departed from
| the court as proud as a young field marshal.
| j never saw Mr.. Lincoln again, and he died
| without ever knowing who the young
struggling lawyer was he had so kindly as
sisted and relieved from defeat In his
maiden effort before United States trl-
| buIal."
| over the mantlepiece in the Office OF
| Chief Brooks of the Secret Service OF the
| Treasury, there hangs an antique looking
| glass, which has been recently renewed
with new suit Of gilt. There is history
attached TO the mirror, which Is nearly q
century old, and 1t is priced very highly by
its present possessor. "That mirror is d
relic of the regime of rascality that once eX-
listed in this Department. said Chief Brooks
"and 1t was stolen from the Government by
an official whom subsequently had to &C
after for some peculation. was told thai
among other things he had taken that mir
ror and. sure enough, upon searching hl'
premises, 1t was discovered In the wood
Sized hid behind coal-hin. OF course, Il
was dirty, and the smooth surface obscured
hut little soap. aud Nwgier mud gilt soor
put II iniGooa cpu1iiion'aesM, and as Ions
Us am IN oillseft Mil femiil as at presen
locattd.n ~ N e-SrN
"What DO you think about fighting thu
battles Of the war over after twenty-on
years have been filed in the caves of OBJ
llyionfn asked n CmrlC reporter last even
Ing OF General Alfred Plcasauton, tho grea
cavalry commander. ~ thIul,,n was th
reply, "that great many so-cAlled patriot
and couiederatcs are doing It now to sci
their articles aud books for cash. Why, sir
II all the captains, majors, colonies an,
generals that meet about the Washington
and New York hotels had been with me til
day barassed Bob Lee before Gettysburg
hG would have certainly met with an oycr
| Whelmiug defeat and retired south OF th
Potomac before he suffered failure on Com
etery Heights and Culp's nm" ~
ttpms to me, General, from readln
history, that tho Government Of tA
United States was very anxious about III
position Of your cavalry on the lsJ Of july
lN03W "Oh, yes, when I commanded IN
divisions Of Gregg, Bu'ord aud l{ilpltTiat
was bully boy with auTyshl optic, am
nothing WIS too good for me. At that tin
hey did not want me on the retired llat
"ihe old Generals seem to be dying OF
very fast In tho last few years. aye
Grant, Mcclellan, Thomas, Hancock
Meade, Blair, MCPhersOn aud Logan hay
, gono TO the majority and DO mora need IN
lleetlug praises of the crowd that fOlowe
ia their wake, l. too, shall soon pass owe
the River Of Time, aud all the short-liye
, plnry ilpi ! gained ia the Florida, Mexieu
aLd Ciyll War viii psss away Ike twil
Told tale. As Gray puts it;
The boast of herady, the pomp OF power,
And all that beauty, all that wealth O.,
gave;
Await alike the inevitable hour,
The paths Of glory lead but to the gray